1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to tools used by a dentist. In particular, the present invention relates to tools for applying a filling material to a cavity in a tooth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dental tools and appliances are well known in the art. Exemplary of some of the dental tools and appliances and tools of the prior art are the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,152 discloses a single multi-function handpiece for dental instruments that can be used in multiple dental treatments. The handpiece comprises a housing having a coil for producing an electromagnetic or electrostrictive field in the housing, and a number of inserts that react with the electromagnetic or electrostrictive field and can be used with the housing to complete the handpiece. A switching system used with the handpiece, which electrically recognizes the particular insert used with the housing provide for automatically controlling circuitry that determines which of a number of materials and medicaments are to be delivered to the handpiece for use with a particular insert. Circuitry which provides better control of the ultrasonic insert in the handpiece is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,778 discloses a discloses a dental appliance for introducing a filler material into a tooth cavity that has a support which carries a discharge nipple having an elongated interior channel formed with an inlet and an outlet. A pair of tubular guides form a first and a second passage, respectively. The first passage has an open end and the second passage communicates with the inlet of the interior channel. A replacable magazine has an elongated chamber for a quantity of the filler material and communicates of the open end of the channel in direction transversely to the elongation of the latter. A first expelling element is reciprocable in the first passage and the chamber for expelling a portion of the chamber material and charging it into the channel. A second expelling element is reciprocable in the second passage and channel for expelling the charged portion through the outlet of the nipple. A single drive is provided which effects coordinated reciprocation of both of the expelling elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,578 discloses a combined amalgam carrier and dental handpiece comprising a power source, a plugger, and a disposable cartridge assembly removably engageable with the power source, the plugger being carried by the power source and selectively movable with respect to the cartridge for passing therethrough in a reciprocal movement, the cartridge including a housing preloaded with selected quantities of mercury and silver, or the like, in separated sealed compartments, and a device extending through the housing and engagable with the power source for longitudinal and rotatable movement with respect to the housing, the longitudinal movement causing a combining of the initially separated mercury and silver components, the rotatable movement causing both mixing of the components to produce amalgam for denture fillings and discharging of said amalgam from the housing for engagement thereof by the plugger, and the plugger being selectively reciprocal through the cartridge for implanting multiple charges of the amalgam in a tooth cavity, or the like, and packing the charges in the cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,713 discloses a dental implement for use in connection with filling of tooth cavities with amalgam or a similar tooth filling material, characterized in that it is made as a hand tool having a narrow outlet spout for amalgam and an amalgam container communicating with the spout for dispensing amalgam therethrough, and a vibrator unit serving to vibrate a tool part by means of which the amalgam in the cavity can be compressed or condensed. In the outlet spout there is mounted a plunger or hammer element connected to a vibrator and serving to push the filling material into the tooth cavity in a beat like manner with a relatively high working frequency, e.g. 500 cycles per minute, whereby it is possible to rapidly fill the cavity with many small portions of the filling material and with positive compression or condensation of each of these portions. The advantage of using the device is not only a considerable saving of work but also that in practice it becomes possible to fill the tooth cavity according to the so-called "wet" method whereby filling of a highly improved quality is obtainable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,459 discloses a combined amalgamator and dispenser device for storing, mixing, and dispensing having an elongated passage, a piston movable within the passage for displacing and mixing ingredients therein, a movably mounted gate for blocking movement of the ingredients through passage means, storage, a device for transferring measured amounts of the ingredients from the storage device to the passage, and a device for sequentially imparting axial movement and rotation to the piston when the passage means is blocked by the gate to receive and mix the ingredients in the passage, and a device operative on the gate to unblock the passage and cause resumption of axial movement of the piston means through the gate for dispensing the mixed ingredients.